5 Diet Myths That Make You Gain Weight

Find out which common myths about dieting could be causing you to gain weight.

It’s one thing to feel disappointed that you’re lugging around a few extra pounds when you know you’ve been a little lax
with your eating or exercise. But religiously following diet rules and not making progress (or, worse yet,
gaining weight) is infuriating and depressing. If you’re watching your weight and not getting any closer to your
goal, look closely at the weight-loss principles you’re following. It could be that diet myths are causing you
to pack on pounds.

Truth: Not necessarily. Whole-wheat pasta (or bread or, um, pie crust) has just as many
calories as “regular.” Same goes for brown and white rice. Avocados, nuts and olive oil deliver heart-healthy fats—and
significant calories. Red wine and dark chocolate are full of antioxidants, but if you indulge every day without
accounting for their calories, you’re likely to gain weight. Upshot: Pay close attention to calorie counts of all foods
(OK, maybe not plain steamed broccoli) so that “health halos” don’t lead your eating astray.Related:What does a
1,500-calorie day look like?

Myth #2: You Can Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks.

Truth: You probably can lose 10 pounds in two weeks if you crash-diet, but that pace is
rarely sustainable—and most of the weight will return once you start eating normally. To truly lose 1 pound, you need to
“eliminate” 3,500 calories—the amount stored in a pound of fat—by eating less and moving more. If you cut 500 calories
(or cut 300 and burn 200 through exercise) every single day of the week, you’ll lose about a pound a week. And that’s
real weight loss. (Be slimmer by next month
when you follow one of our delicious 28-day weight-loss menu plans.)

Myth #3: If You Exercise, You Can Eat As Much As You Want.

Truth: Consider this: eat two medium cookies and you’ll take in about 400 calories. But to
burn 400 calories, the average person needs to run or walk 4 miles. So essentially, “a moment on the lips” can mean an
hour or more on the treadmill. Bottom line: Unless you’re working out like an Olympic athlete, to lose weight you’ll
still need to keep an eye on how many calories you’re eating. Keep your calorie intake in check with these 7 Ways to Cut
100 Calories.

Truth: There’s a kernel of truth in this myth, as EatingWell contributing editor
Joyce Hendley reported in The
13 Biggest Diet and Food Myths Busted. Our metabolisms rev up slightly each time we eat, as our bodies process what
we’ve consumed. So by having many mini meals instead of fewer, larger ones, we shift our metabolism into a higher gear
more often—and burn a few more calories. But “the calorie difference is so small it doesn’t add up to a hill of
beans,” says Dr. John Foreyt, director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in
Houston. And for some people, eating more often may mean eating more, period.